This invention generally relates to trauma patient care. More particularly, it relates to a system for supporting a trauma care patient. Even more particularly, it relates to a system for supporting a trauma care patient during a procedure such as X-ray.
Emergency care of trauma victims can be a high tension and potentially dangerous situation for both the patient and the care giver. Providing expedient, safe and accurate care is made difficult by factors associated with trauma, such as massive amounts of blood that could be on the stretcher and floor. In addition there are risks associated with needles used for treatment. And there are further difficulties with safely turning and supporting a patient that is aspirating while restrained on a backboard. Additional risk arises from a potentially violent patient. All these are compounded when the facility has few staff members available for such a patient or for a heavy set patient.
Portable radiography plays a valuable role in the diagnosis and selection of treatment for trauma victims. However, the need for quality and expediently produced radiographs has not always been fulfilled because of the time and the difficulties posed by handling trauma patients and the time and staff required to set up for x-rays.
Typically, trauma patients are restrained on a backboard or a stretcher, and it is difficult and time consuming to properly position x-ray cassettes under or adjacent a patient on a backboard or stretcher. Sometimes patients must be repeatedly moved around to properly position or reposition the x-ray film cassettes. This not only takes critical time but the movements needed can require several staff members and can cause delay or further problems for the patient.
In addition, if the x-ray film cassette comes in contact with blood it must be completely cleaned and disinfected before it can be developed, taking additional time. There are risks to staff as well from physical contact with the patient to adjust his or her position since contact with the patient""s blood may subject the worker to serious illness.
In addition certain x-rays, such as cross-table laterals, can be extremely difficult to take with trauma patients who must be restrained in a fixed position. In most cases, a cassette is propped up against the side rail of the stretcher using tape. However, sometimes the side rail cannot be raised because the patient""s injured arm is in the way and cannot be moved. While alternate schemes may then be devised, the resulting x-rays are often degraded despite the great need for high quality results for seriously injured trauma victims. This is especially a problem where multiple x-rays of multiple body parts are needed. If the patient must be moved around or if a long time appears to be necessary for setting up or taking the x-rays, then this critical diagnostic technique may not be used at all.
Thus, a better system for supporting a trauma care patient is needed. This system is particularly needed for supporting a trauma care patient during procedures such as x-ray, and this improved system is provided by the following invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a platform for supporting a patient that allows rapidly taking x-rays of any part of a patient""s body without moving the patient.
It is a further object of the present invention that the platform has a facility for collecting bodily fluids, such as blood, dripping from a trauma victim;
It is a further object of the present invention that the platform also has a facility for supporting an x ray cassette vertically or horizontally;
It is a further object of the present invention that the facility for supporting an x ray cassette vertically or horizontally allows it to be moved without moving the patient;
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a convenient way to support a patient turned at an angle;
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a convenient way to safely dispose of needles adjacent the platform;
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a way to constrain the arms of a patient;
It is a feature of the present invention that the platform has spaced elements for supporting a removable patient support unit elevated above the platform to provide an unimpeded region between the platform and the patient support unit;
It is a feature of the present invention that the platform has troughs for collecting bodily fluids;
It is a feature of the present invention that the platform also has a central support area for supporting an x ray cassette in a horizontal position;
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a moveable device for supporting an x ray cassette in a vertical position; and
It is an advantage of the present invention that the platform allows a technologist to speedily take x-rays of or perform other procedures on a trauma patient without moving the patient.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are accomplished by a system for supporting a patient, comprising a platform having having an upper surface. The upper surface has spaced elements for supporting a removable patient support unit elevated above the upper surface. An unimpeded region is between the upper surface and the removable patient support unit.
Another aspect of the invention is a system for supporting a patient, comprising a platform for supporting the patient support unit. The platform has a plurality of structures for holding a removable X ray cassette holder.
Another aspect of the invention is a system for supporting a patient, comprising a platform for supporting the patient support unit, the platform having a trough for collecting bodily fluids.
Another aspect of the invention is a system for supporting a patient, comprising a platform for supporting a patient support unit, the platform having a structure for holding a removable container.
Another aspect of the invention is a system for supporting a patient, comprising a platform for supporting a patient support unit, wherein said platform comprises spaced elements for supporting the patient support unit in a fixed position.